Tuesday 26 May 2015

20 things about me...

I’ve been given a challenge to write a blog post of 20 things about me – not my work, just me. In my work with Creative Women I am always telling my ladies to blog more, and speak from a human viewpoint and not always a business viewpoint. What makes us, 'us' is interesting to our customers (and peers) and they don’t want to hear about our work all the time otherwise they’ll switch off! Lauren Aston nominated me in her '20 things...' blog post (thanks Lauren – grrrrr) and I have been thinking about it for the last week or so. It has been really, really hard to think of anything interesting at all, but here we go…



1. I have scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine and it was diagnosed when I was 11 years old. I had to wear a back brace for just under 3 years. Going in and out of children’s hospitals and seeing all the other kids in a worse state than me (wheelchair bound and very disabled) made me feel very lucky indeed.

2. We got our puppy last year, and until then I was never a dog person – couldn’t understand it. Now I am utterly smitten, she brings me utter joy, and most evenings after a few glasses of wine I search the internet for another… (watch this space!)



3. I love avocados. Love them. Love love love them. Eat them on their own, in salads, on toast, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Love them!

4. I applied to the second series of Big Brother, back in god knows when (early 2000’s?) Very glad I didn’t get on…!

5. I bloody love everything about interior design. Since being a kid I have always wanted to decorate my room – it’s why I was so excited when we bought our first house. I would re-decorate every 3 months if I could!

6. Being an art student it was only natural that I experiment, and I did so with my hair! I get bored easily, so it would be long, short, blue, red, white, shaved, spiky, whatever. Just something completely different. I used to bleach it myself, and went so extreme over the years with bleach and dye, that now I get an allergic reaction to any kind of hair dye. Gutted!

7. I consider myself to be shy, but everyone I know would disagree. I think I’m just maybe good at acting the part? Which leads me onto…

8. I really wanted to take Drama GCSE but had to choose between that and Art. I went down the art route, but still would love to be on stage.

9. I love being around people. I feel energised and positive when being with people. I think ultimately that’s why I wanted to stop working on my own and get a group of people together, because that is when I’m at my best. I enjoy making other people happy, and in turn become happy myself.

10. When I was applying to art college I went for an Art Therapist course, and got in. For some reason I didn’t accept and went to do Fine Art Painting instead, but I still wonder what I would have got up to should I had followed that route. Ever since then I’ve wanted to help people – I’ve considered applying again for a therapy course, or volunteering with The Samaritons but know I’m not emotionally strong enough to handle it. I guess in some way I’m maybe helping people now?!

11. I have three tattoos and planning my fourth. I want to have more as I get older and older, and embrace the age rather than worry about what they will look like when I wrinkle!


12. Being restricted as a kid with a back brace it was impossible for me to do sport, but I loved swimming. I’ve been a strong swimmer since I was tiny, and loved it. I still feel completely at home in water, and I know I should start again! If only I didn’t look such a whale in a swimming costume…!!

13. I have struggled with severe paranoia throughout my life, since being a child, and have always felt anxious, insecure and have severely lacked confidence. However, as I get older, and with communication, support from loved ones and a bit of medication I find myself much happier with who I am. Don’t be afraid of getting help – mental illness in any form is debilitating, but do speak up as it’s the only way you will start to heal.

14. I’m really crap with money. If I’ve got it I spend it, if I haven’t got it I still spend it! And I wonder why I’m always skint…!!

15. We moved to Devon from Cheltenham 8 years ago with Greg’s job and at the time it was a mixture of being really sad at leaving my closest friends, and excitement at a new chapter in our life. I never thought I could embrace the rural life, and it’s had its ups and downs but I love it here.  


16. Some people love Summer the best, some Winter. I love them all. Spring is brilliant because of the new buds and possibility of what’s ahead. Summer is awesome because of the sun and barbecues. Autumn’s colours are beautiful and I love Halloween and Bonfire Night, and Winter is just perfect. Open fires, red wine, and Christmas. Seasons - I look forward to each one.

17. I have an obsession with buying chairs. Any style, any type – I would fill my house up with different ones if I could (although my husband would say I already have!) Speaking of which, I love collecting all sorts of stuff – jugs, mugs, books, artwork, vintage fabrics, oh crikey, I’m actually a bit of a hoarder! I did actually always want a library in my home, full of books and old leather armchairs, oh and one of those slidey ladders!


18. My father died very suddenly just over 3 years ago and the journey that we have been on as a family has been a huge learning curve. No-one is ever prepared for grief, but it has taught me a huge amount and I am now taking risks and making decisions I wouldn’t have before he died.

19. Despite the sadness that has happened in my life over the last couple of years, I can honestly say that I feel the place I’m in now is the healthiest and happiest I’ve been in a long time. I feel like a very lucky girl.

20. There’s nothing better than snuggling up in bed, and falling asleep. Oh, and I need at least three pillows to be comfortable!

And that's it! Crikey, this has been SO hard!! I’ve struggled to think of anything interesting I can say about myself (and you may say I’ve not even achieved that!!)

I’m hoping that by giving myself (or Lauren giving me) this challenge will help me get over my writers block, and I will start to blog again, and write more about what I’m up to with Kindred Rose, Creative Women and Cosmic. I would like to nominate 3 of my creative women, because I’m always nagging them to blog and this might just make them!! Sarah J Perry, Chloe Morter and NikkiJolley – it’s your turn ladies…!!

xxx